TAKE TWO, TAKE THREE ... TAKE TEN

Good Morning Friends!

It is the middle of the week … and only SIX days left until Christmas!

It seems the older I get, the faster time flies

Which is why it is so important to make the most of every moment –

Even if it takes multiple takes to get it right.

In my post ‘blessings, blessing, blessing …’  I wrote about my opportunity to be a blessing last week. I baked a rum cake for my niece! Then, when I was done cooking for her, I decided to make some treats for my house.

I also have started receiving requests from others for my cakes. Therefore, I thought it would be a good idea to take some pictures and that it would make for good advertising material for future orders.

This is the picture I ultimately shared online:

THESE ARE THE MULTIPLE TAKES IT TOOK TO GET THERE!!!

SO – WHY SHARE THIS WITH YOU TODAY?

Understand that life is very much like my cake journey         

It often takes many attempts to reach the end point

However, what often gets publicized is only the end product

We see the athlete holding the Olympic medal

We do not see the grueling practices which took place every day, beginning before sunrise

We see the entrepreneur and the multi-million dollar business

We do not see the three bankruptcies that led up to that point

We see the joyous wedding ceremony pictures

We do not see the tearful nights of loneliness that lasted for years leading up to that day

We see the happy family portrait

We do not see the three miscarriages and the complicated adoption process which transpired leading up to that blessed family image

THE PUBLISHED STORY IS NOT ALWAYS THE FULL STORY

Please do not misunderstand my point –

If you are one of those unique individuals who gets a wonderful shot on every first take, praise God for that blessing! I celebrate with you.

For the rest of us – I offer these closing reminders:

TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE WITH OTHERS

When you see that ‘snapshot’ –

A great dessert, a great body, a great marriage, a great job, a great life –

Learn to celebrate with others

You have no idea what they have had to walk through to get to that point

TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE WITH YOURSELF

For some of us, this may prove more difficult than the challenge of celebrating others

We can often be our very worst critics

Perhaps you are frustrated today that there have had to be so many ‘takes’ in life

Perhaps you feel like you still have not mastered that ideal shot or image

I say ‘ideal’ because there is no perfect shot or image – no perfect life

Whether you are on take one, take seven or take twenty-seven,

What matters is that you are still a part of this canvas of life;

With all of its hiccups, missteps and mess-ups

We live in a culture that celebrates finish lines – a culture which often fails to celebrate the process of getting to the finish line. Yet it is the process which shapes us as individuals and leads us to our greatest moments. And, as you observe the sights this season and take stock of your life as the year draws to a close

KNOW THIS –

THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY is writing you an amazing story

Enjoy the journey – because that final product is going to be a one-of-a-kind masterpiece!

Praying You Have a Blessed Day!

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”

Philippians 1:6

No Death ... No Resurrection

This was a topic that came up as I had coffee with one of my best friends last night. death ... and resurrection

As we talked about the challenges that many are facing, we found ourselves also discussing the occasional difficulty in moving toward the path that God desires for each of us individually and becoming all that He desires - which is for us to be like Christ. Further, we noted the power of God to resurrect us and our hopes /dreams, even when we feel like all is lost, dying or dead.

Now the definition of resurrect from our modern day dictionary has a two-fold, meaning:

1 : to raise from the dead

2 : to bring to view, attention, or use again

 

Some synonyms include: recharge, regenerate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, revive, resuscitate, revitalize and re-awake. Many of these ‘re-‘ words are the very things that are needed by those who have become weary from the journey and tired of experiencing the same things day in and day out. Yet there is a role each one of us plays in the process of experiencing these things in our lives.

As my friend and I talked about why it sometimes seems so challenging to move forward in life, I pointed out the fact that God will often allow us to keep walking through a situation until our character has matured to a point where He deems us prepared for what He has prepared for us. This process can be very arduous and unsettling. The Israelites who wandered in the desert for forty years could certainly relate. But here is where I pointed out to my friend:

 

He cannot resurrect you, if you will not die –

 

Although many Christians will spout the phrase that 'death has lost its sting' (speaking of the physical), there are many who still refuse to embrace the process of death (spiritually). They continue to wrestle and strive against what they know is needed in hopes of somehow getting and end-product without submitting to the process. In my post Kingdom Alphabet: 'R' after 'S'  I note how in the kingdom ‘r’ comes after ‘s’ – resurrection follows suffering.

·         You cannot experience a miraculous healing, if you are never sick

·         There is no supernatural provision, if there is never a need

·         Your character will not be transformed, if you never die to self

 

The issues of life can only be raised to newness if we allow certain things to die. Yet, all too often, we work desperately to be our own solution rather than humbly submitting the matter to God and letting Him have His way in and through us.

One of my biggest challenge areas is my ability to let people into my world – a fact you likely would not surmise from the content of this blog. However, it is an area that I am committed to working on … dying to my preferences of being intensely private and instead embracing God’s desire for me to be a bridge to His Word and Himself by sharing my life. It is what Jesus modeled for us. He emptied Himself out for the benefit of encouraging and uplifting others and nothing less is expected of those who take His name and identify themselves as Christians.

There is process to dying … it must be deliberate

This weekend there will be many sermons about the dying and resurrection that took place in the life of Jesus - something vitally important to both communicate and celebrate. For there is no resurrection or salvation apart from Jesus Christ. He stated of Himself in John 11:25 ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live’.

However, it is also important to remember what our role is in the process – which is to die. In my blog post 'Terms & Conditions' I note:

 

‘We have been called to a Living Hope but a dying life.’

 

God has wonderful things that He would like to raise us up into, but it begins with us laying down our ambitions and confessing as Christ did, ‘not My will but Thy will be done.’ Luke 22:42

You may be submitting to God for the first time - recognizing the sin and separation in your life and your need for a Savior. You may be a seasoned Christian who needs to re-submit one or several areas of your life to LORD. Whatever the case, understand this: There is no resurrection unless there first be a death

 

He cannot resurrect you ... if you will not die.

 

 

‘My old self has been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave Himself for me.'

 Galatians 2:20 NLT

Kingdom Alphabet: 'R' after 'S'

A, B, C, D, E, F, G,

H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P,

Q, R, S, T, U, V,

W, X, Y, Z 

Every preschooler knows the alphabet song, right? And they all know that the letter ‘R’ comes before the letter ‘S’. However, that only holds true for the standard alphabet. If you are talking about the Kingdom Alphabet – the opposite is true. 

Now you might say to yourself, ‘What is she talking about?’ Well, I am talking about Paul’s expressed desire in Philippians 3:10 KJV, ‘That I may know Him [Christ], and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.’

Resurrection and suffering – those are the ‘R’ and ‘S’ that I am talking about. And while the resurrection is mentioned before the suffering, it is not the order of things. Suffering [to the point of destruction and even death] always precedes resurrection.

R after S...

Interestingly enough, I thought about this post as I listened to our executive pastor. He got my attention as he made mention of our building plans and the fact that there are currently deep holes on the property designed to hold the pilings and rebar which will support both the foundation and structure of our church building. The taller the building, the deeper the construction crew must go to establish a firm foundation and to ensure that the building will be able to withstand hurricanes, earthquakes and any other natural elements that might come against it.

Spiritually, it is no different. The life which is to be used mightily by God, which is to be built up into a monument for His glory – will experience unimaginable hardship and go to great depths in order to drive those faith pilings deep, to establish a firm foundation which will withstand the storms of life.  What does this have to do with the alphabet? We have to understand that the excavation, drilling and driving are all part of the suffering which comes before the resurrection. 'R' after 'S'… 

In my post ‘the fellowship of suffering’, I noted that many ‘desire to know the power of His resurrection but would just as soon leave the fellowship of sharing in His suffering on the buffet table.’ But both are part of the process of becoming all that God desires for you to become. If you are going to be a mighty spiritual tower, with high rafters, you must embrace this truth: ‘R’ after ‘S’

Resurrection comes after suffering. So, if you feel like you have been dug into a hole so deep that you cannot see your way out, if you feel like everything meaningful in your life has died – do not be discouraged. Resurrection follows suffering. Yet the LORD is doing a work in your day [and your life] that you would not believe were it told you! (Hab. 1:5)

sweat and tears ...

So yesterday I talked about our ability to stay and go to the outer reaches of the world. Today, I would like to follow-up on something I pointed out in yesterday’s post. Therefore, we will pick up with the exact same verse in Acts 1:8, ‘… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’

As I stated yesterday, the Greek word for witnesses is ‘‘μάρτυς or mártys’ where we get our English word martyr. Jesus was letting them know that they would be His martyrs – those who suffer persecution and death for refusing to renounce a belief or cause. Why is this significant to us? Unfortunately, there has emerged a type of ‘Christian mindset’ which believes that the Christian walk is supposed to be all blessings and sunshine. Yet that is not the message that Jesus conveyed when He commissioned His disciples, those who would take His message to the world. They would be persecuted - it was what Jesus was preparing them for.

We too must realize that we have been called to a living hope but a dying life ...

I recall a situation several years ago where I was sitting in my car, having a full blown pity part. I was praying and crying and complaining to God about how wicked certain people were acting, how difficult things were and how tired I was. And that is when He spoke so clear that it sounded like an audible voice: ‘You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in striving against sin.’ Stunned by the clarity and the directness of the message, I began to question, ‘Is that a verse in the Bible?’ Yet before I could even finish the thought, He told me where to find it, Hebrews 12:4. He went on to remind me of all that Christ endured for our freedom, for our salvation, the horrific cruelty, the excruciating torture and the tremendous bloodshed that He suffered so that we could be reconciled to the Father.

Then He closed by telling me, ‘What you are experiencing is just sweat and tears and the only way it will kill you is if you sit there and let yourself drown in it. Now stop crying, get back to work, I still have much for you to do.’ He knows exactly what I need to hear and how I need to hear it. However, my feelings were hurt [seriously] as I told Him that His communication was not kind or gentle. Then, I did what He told me to do. I stopped crying and got back to work, recognizing that there was something much greater at stake than my comfort. There were souls on the line.

This Christian walk, it is not for the faint-hearted. So if you were looking for sunshine and roses, you might want to reevaluate your commitment. And the next time you find yourself frustrated and complaining, consider this:
‘^{12 -13}Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.
     ^{14 -16}If you're abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It's the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they're on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that's a different matter. But if it's because you're a Christian, don't give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!
     ^{17 -19}It's judgment time for God's own family. We're first in line. If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like for those who refuse God's Message! If good people barely make it, What's in store for the bad? So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it.’
     I Peter 4:12-19 MSG

His witnesses and His martyrs ...
Quite a sobering thought

fellowship of suffering ...

‘For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.’ Hebrews 4:15 

We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize …  

Those words have brought comfort to many believers – myself included. They let us know that our Savior can relate to what we are experiencing. And I do not believe it is [for us] simply a case that misery loves company – rather that misery seeks above most things to be understood and comforted. 

But what happens when we as believers, who are the kings and priests that He has made us to be, are called to sympathize with the sufferings of our Savior? 

• What happens when the circumstances of life leave us alone in the dark with none who will tarry with us for even an hour?
• How do we comprehend when we have sown good seed, ample seeds (of kindness, finances, encouragement, time and self) into the lives of the many that we come in contact with; yet there is but a handful present when the hours of crucifixion commence? 
• Where do we turn when our experience betrays the truth of His Word, when we cry out, like Jesus did, and no response comes from heaven?
• How do we endure the taunting and torturing of enemies, along with the scorn from those who identify themselves as ‘God’s agents’? 

Perplexing situations –   

Yet completely natural and to be expected, if we are like Him, if we want to know Him.   

Do we desire to know Him?

‘He is [was] despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.’ Isaiah 53:3 

Do we truly hunger to know Christ like this?

Do we strive to know Him in the manner expressed by Paul?

‘I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.' Philippians 3:10 

It is certainly not the Christian experience that has been marketed to the masses. Yet it is the closest thing to reality that I have been able to comprehend in the years that I have been following Jesus.  

We desire to know the power of His resurrection but would just as soon leave the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings on the buffet table. We want to go where He went after His death, burial and resurrection. Yet we would kindly like to skip the aloneness, shame, beatings, cross-bearing, nail-piercing and slow painful dying that He endured.   

Yet we are called to and given the directive to, ‘Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.’ I Peter 4:13 

Rejoice!

Why? Because you are able to participate in the sufferings of Christ.

Rejoice!

When?  Any time you are able to participate in the sufferings of Christ.

Such an often overlooked portion of the Christian experience … the fellowship of suffering. 

Yet, this is the walk...

following ...

Some will judge you by who you follow, others by who follows you.


So thankful, thankful that Jesus did not make me clean up, before I could follow Him.


So grateful, grateful that He chose to follow us, from the throne room of heaven to the filth of the earth, to live among us, to give His life for us.


Let us pray, pray the people who follow us to Jesus are not only those who already know Him.

The Lord is not willing that any should perish ...

2 Peter 3:9

if nothing changes ...

My friend sent me an email devotional this week which was entitled ‘Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes’. In it, the writer spoke of our individual need to get sin out of our lives, to remove ourselves from unhealthy relationships and to pick-up healthy practices which grow and not destroy our spirit. It was powerful!


Then it got me thinking about the faithful saints: the ones who have taken diligent steps to maintain a spirit of humility and repentance. They so love the LORD. They examine themselves daily against His Word and what He is speaking to their spirit.  And they make changes so that they do not grieve their LORD, so that they do not walk in sin.


They love people, both their friends and those who would consider them enemies. They give generously. They cannot help it because they are made in the image of their Father. They serve God’s house and others faithfully, without complaint or an attitude of religious superiority. They model Christ.


They are the people who often get overlooked. But they don’t mind. They are content to rise every day and do exactly what it is that they feel the LORD has placed upon their hearts. His approval is the only one they seek.


So what happens when the circumstances which try these faithful soldiers goes unchanged?


What is the explanation when they cling to God’s Word, recognizing that certain things only go out by prayer and fasting – and they pray and fast – and nothing changes – or things appear to worsen?


How is it reconciled when the fact that ‘God loves a cheerful giver’ has been so ingrained into their spirit that they give, and give, and give? Yet they face financial reversals – the same reversals as those who refuse to honor God’s principles.


How is it reasoned when the healing does not manifest? When the marriage fails? When the job ends? When the aloneness persists? When the ministry does not increase? When the child ends up on drugs? When the child dies? When the weeping endures longer than a night? And, although the joy comes in the morning, it is within the context of the present reality and in light of the fact that the prayer was not answered exactly the way it was hoped or desired. Where is the comfort?


Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes


If nothing about the circumstance changes, take comfort.
Nothing about the character of God changes.


He is still Omni-potent, the all powerful One who is able to stop anything and everything – but who allows situations and circumstances for reasons which we know not. The situation is not too great for Him to be able to impact it. And perhaps He allows the situations to persist to let each of us know that the matter is not too great to impact us.


He is still Omniscient, the all knowing One who has not let a single detail of what is happening in your life to escape His attention. Nothing has caught Him by surprise. There is not a single instance where He sits in heaven and says to Himself, ‘Wow! I didn’t see that coming.’


He is still Omni-present, the all present One who cannot help but to be present in your circumstance – because He is everywhere. He will never leave you nor forsake you – because He can’t, because He promised.


Nothing changes if nothing changes –


If nothing changes in the circumstances and nothing changes with God, where does the change take place? The change occurs within each one of us. Nothing changes if nothing changes - except us.


If nothing changes and the healing does not manifest –
We change as we realize that we can have a quality life despite the illness.


If nothing changes and the marriage fails –
We change as we learn that there is life after divorce, and not just any life, one of joy, peace and fulfillment.


If nothing changes and the job ends –
We change as we lean upon and trust God for provision in a way that we have never had to do before.


If nothing changes and the aloneness persists –
We change as we rejoice in the presence of God, even if it means that we must live outside of the company of man.


If nothing changes and the ministry is not as impactful as we hoped –
We change as we despise not the day of small beginnings and do all things joyfully unto the LORD.


If nothing changes and the child ends up on drugs –
We change as we trust God to take care of and protect and rescue and redeem that child in a way that we are unable.


If nothing changes and the child dies –
We grieve. And then, eventually, we change as we are transformed into beacons of hope for others. I heard someone say earlier this week, ‘When someone loses a husband, you call her a widow; when someone loses a parent, you call them an orphan; when someone loses a child, you don’t call them anything – because it is so unimaginable, so painful and so grievous that there is not a word to describe it. Yet there is hope and love in Jesus. And as we change, we understand the grace and strength of God to keep us in one of the most horrific circumstances which could occur. You learn this whether you have lost a child or not – for when you love others as yourself, their pain becomes real to you in a way that I cannot explain.


If nothing changes and the weeping endures longer than a night, if nothing changes and the joy that comes in the morning is within the context of the present reality and the fact that the prayer was not answered exactly the way it was hoped or desired –
We change as we keep on believing, trusting and clinging to the unmoving and unchanging hand of God.


Praying that God will bless you abundantly, that He will touch all of the issues of life that touch you, the places that only you and He know about.


With the love and compassion of our LORD Jesus Christ ...

one divine moment ... the process

One Divine Moment …
One Divine Moment … On Hold
One Divine Moment … The Process

‘The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac, and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brethren. And Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Aram, and Aram begot Aminadab, and Aminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon, and Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon by her that had been the wife of Uriah, and Solomon begot Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa, and Asa begot Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah, and Uzziah begot Jotham, and Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah, and Hezekiah begot Manasseh, and Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah, and Josiah begot Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel, and Salathiel begot Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel begot Abiud, and Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor, and Azor begot Zadok, and Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud, and Eliud begot Eleazar, and Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way …’ Matthew 1:1-18

Whew! That is a list – and it is not even a fully detailed list.

Thank God for BibleGateway.com – saved me a whole lot of typing!

Genealogies are not the most interesting reading material – I know.
You probably skipped right past it – I won’t tell.
Yet, I’ve learned not to skip past them – as much as I would like to some days.

As we look at Jesus’ genealogy, we find:
• Abraham, responding to the voice of God, becoming the father of nations
• Jacob, the trickster who would become Israel
• Rahab, the former prostitute who would become a ‘hallmark of faith’ heroine
• Ruth, the widow with a faithful heart that would stumble upon the field of Boaz
• David, the shepherd who would be king
The list goes on …

Each one played a vital role. And we understand that each one experienced their own One Divine Moment in time. Yet, their mention in the book of Matthew does not begin to capture the full story which led up to the best One Divine Moment that we now recognize as the birth of Christ.

What was happening in Abram’s family that he would recognize and respond to a voice which told him to leave everything he knew? How old was Rahab when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea? Was she even born yet? How did she know of this powerful God that was with the children of Israel? Was there someone who kept that story of their miraculous escape from Egypt alive?

How many women looked past or refused Boaz, such that he was available when Ruth showed up on the scene? Who was the servant that David left his sheep with as he obeyed his father’s instruction and went to the battlefield where he would ultimately slay the giant?

A lot of questions –
A lot of questions that we might not ever have an answer for –

This could frustrate us if we did not realize that sometimes the question is more important than the answer.

The question causes us to think about ALL of the possible answers.
And, in doing so, we discover things we never knew we always wanted answered.

How many people – other than those listed in this genealogy – helped influence these individuals and what transpired?
You might say to yourself, ‘Who cares?’

I have learned to care because I have learned that every One Divine Moment is made up of a thousand little, seemingly insignificant, divine moments.

One Divine Moment does not happen in a moment – there is a process. And there are countless people involved in that process.

Two weeks ago, I had One Divine Moment –
A publisher agreed to publish my book:
‘When Storms Rage – 21 Principles to Keep You Anchored Through Life’s Toughest Moments’

It was an exciting moment, One Divine Moment –
However, the celebration demanded recognition of THE PROCESS.

My parent’s divorce, childhood friendships, my marriage, the birth of my children, my divorce, my sickness in 2006, the elimination of my job in 2007, the countless people who would not hire me in the past three years, the person who gave me a word from the LORD, the person who gave my son a laptop (which I used when mine broke), my pastor who reviewed the book, his wife who wrote the foreword, the publisher who approved the book, the publisher’s assistant who arranged the meeting … the list goes on.

Through hundreds [more like thousands] of situations, God was orchestrating that One Divine Moment that occurred for me on November 17th. In fact, I realize that there are a million divine moments that make up the process of One Divine Moment when I think about God’s words in Jeremiah 1:5 AMP, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’

I say all this to say – do not discount where you are today

If you are waiting on One Divine Moment –
Understand that there is a process to One Divine Moment
There are many things which are being aligned which will facilitate that moment

If you have experienced One Divine Moment –
Take time to celebrate all of the individuals and circumstances which impacted it and made it possible

God alone knows the plans that He has for you, and that they are good plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to bring you to the expected end that He has prepared for you, to bring you to One Divine Moment – Jeremiah 29:11

That disappointment – part of the process
That delay – part of the process
That chance meeting – part of the process
The people brought into your life – part of the process
The people He allowed to exit your life – part of the process
The sinful nature and desires being crucified daily – part of the process
The fruits of the Spirit and development of Christ-like character – a crucial part of the process

God takes it all [even though He doesn’t cause it all] and works it all together for the good in accordance with Romans 8:28

Do not overlook a single situation or count it as worthless.
Do not despise the day of small beginnings.

There was a man in the book of John who experienced One Divine Moment. He had been sick for thirty-eight years when Jesus healed him and there were many that were displeased. Their attitude was that healing should not take place on the Sabbath, that there is a process and that there are rules. Their religion kept them from celebrating his moment. However, Jesus responded in John 5:17, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working’.

He is not bound by the traditions of men – nor is He restricted by the way He worked in the past.

II Chronicles 16:9 tells us, ‘the eyes of the LORD run to and fro [present tense] throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.’

He is in control of your One Divine Moment and He is directing every step in the process.

God Bless You Mightily!

when signs lie

Something happened earlier this week as I was driving.

I was traveling along and had just pulled to the side of the expressway to let a fire truck pass. However, as I started driving again, my son who was in the passenger seat asked, ‘Why are we driving so slow?’

This question puzzled me to a degree because I thought we were going at an adequate speed. Then I looked at the speedometer and realized it was reading zero. Instinctively, I started applying the brake. I think subconsciously, I wanted to make sure that I was not speeding.

Immediately, and for the rest of that trip, I started to gauge my speed based upon my feelings and the cars around me. It was twenty miles to get to where I was going. It felt like the longest ride ever. When I got to campus, turned the car off and restarted it, everything worked fine.

However, this little episode did two things: Stressed me out just a little bit and Got me thinking about the impact when signs lie.

Looking at the sign of the speedometer, my son and I came to two different conclusions – neither of which I believe were accurate. Seeing the needle on zero, he thought we were driving too slowly. And I – looking at the cars and working with a thorough knowledge of my tendency to have a bit of a ‘heavy foot’ – assumed I was likely going too fast. Both observations were based upon the signs we had available.

However, there are moments when you cannot use the signs because, they lie. We see this demonstrated within the kingdom of God quite a bit.

The Lord says in Isaiah 55:8-9, 'My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’ As such, the signs in His kingdom are often inconsistent with human reasoning.

Being poor, can be rich, going down is actually ascension; death is life; demotion results in promotion; standing still is moving forward and remaining silent, can speak volumes.

Joseph was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused of attempted rape and put in prison. And he might have concluded that he missed God’s message and had fallen out of favor – if he read those signs. But the signs lied. Everything that happened, which looked like the wrong thing, was the right thing to set him up for promotion to the second highest office in Egypt. (Genesis 37-41)

The nation of Israel sent spies over into their land of promise. They wanted to survey the land and get an estimation of what challenges stood before them. There were plenty of signs: clusters of grapes so large that they had to be carried on poles between two men and a land flowing with milk and honey. However there were also large fortified cities and giants. Ten of the twelve looked at the latter signs and slowed things down to a stop. They convinced themselves and all of Israel that it was an impossible situation. The good was too good to be true and the bad seemed insurmountable. But those signs of giants and fortified cities were lies – lies which convinced them that what they saw was more powerful than who they were and more powerful than the invisible but ever-present, all-knowing, all-mighty God. (Numbers 13-14)

Later – during Israel’s second attempt at entering their promised land - Rahab received a promise. After helping two spies, she was promised that she and her family would be rescued during the impending invasion by the Isaraelites. For six days they marched around the city. Yet no rescue came. On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times and gave a mighty shout which caused the city walls to start falling. As those walls began to crumble, all the signs would seem to indicate that Rahab had been forgotten. But the signs lied. She was positioned for deliverance and ushered into a future she would never have imagined for herself. She was a textbook example for ‘being still and seeing the salvation of the LORD’ – even when the signs likely made her want to run and escape. (Joshua 2,6)

Why is all of this important?

If we do not understand that signs sometimes lie – we will react based upon what we see. We will speed up or slow down, and we might even come to a complete stop. This is dangerous.

We must stay in-step with God to ensure we remain in the center of His will. The estimation of our progress cannot be based on the signs or on how fast or slow someone else is traveling. It must be done through individual prayer, through study of His Word and through consistent application of His principles.

Once we know what His Word says and understand what His will is, we can stand or move in that truth, no matter what the signs appear to be telling us.

The signs say you have been defeated.
But God says that you a more than a conqueror in Christ! (Rom. 8:37)

The signs say you are losing everything.
But God says that He will supply every need! (Phil. 4:19)

The signs say it is an impossible situation.
But God says nothing is impossible with Him! (Matt. 19:26)

The signs say it is too hard for you to do.
But God says His Holy Spirit works in you to want and to do what pleases Him! (Phil. 2:13)

Understand that He who promised is faithful also to bring it to pass – no matter what your situation looks like. (Heb. 10:23)

I guess that is why God told us to walk by faith and not by sight!

I like what it says in the Amplified version of II Corinthians 5:7, ‘For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.’

Keep your eyes on God – especially when signs lie!

Are You Ready For A Miracle?

ARE YOU READY FOR A MIRACLE?
• In 2007 it was heaven – divine completion
• In 2008 it was great – new beginnings
• In 2009 it was fine – fair judgments, placing things in order
• In 2010 we win – divine perfection

NUMBERS, NUMBERS, NUMBERS
In 2007 the requests came for $70 dollars or $700 dollars

In 2008 it was time to give an $80 offering, or an $800 offering, or those unique individuals who God was calling to give an $8000 offering

In 2010 why not sow one-hundred dollars, or one-thousand dollars, or ten-thousand dollars! Further, why not give your financial gift on 10.10.10? After all, this date won’t occur for another 1,000 years.

Now, please do not misunderstand me. My intent is not in any way to minimize the significance of numbers in the Bible. There are great lessons which can be learned from actively studying the patterns which God uses throughout His Word.

I also do not intend to minimize the laws of sowing and reaping. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that, he shall also reap. Therefore each man should give joyfully and generously according to what he has purposed in his heart, between him and God.

I consistently give tithes and offerings myself. And there certainly are times when God instructs you to give a certain amount or to sow a financial gift in faith. My concern is this - that with some of the messages I see and hear lately, it has the potential to leave people confused into thinking they can buy a blessing or a breakthrough.

The problem is: I cannot begin to tell you how many people I have seen become disillusioned with God because some preacher left them with the impression that if they gave a certain dollar amount, they would receive a breakthrough. Equally as dangerous are the well-intentioned slogans which might not come to fruition in the life of EVERY believer in the way that it was implied. The slogans which I outlined are true. But, when you tie it to finances or material gain or even healings and breakthroughs, there is the potential to leave believers with shattered beliefs. That is simply not the way it works.

God’s heart IS to bless His people. And, in most cases, I do not think that the intent of the messages is to be malicious or manipulative in nature. However, we must keep the following in mind:

To those receiving the messages: Understand that you cannot buy your way out of the season of your life. It will only end when God has ordained it to end.

To those delivering the messages: The hope that we have is Jesus. Christ plus nothing yields everything. The person who truly has a heart for God and who is becoming more like Christ everyday does not have to be offered "slogan hope" or be gimmicked into giving. They know Christ is their salvation. Giving is part of their nature, their spiritual DNA, because they are like the One who created them. God so loved the world that HE GAVE. Gave what? Things? No. Healings? No. Favor? No. God so loved the world that He Gave His Son, His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16). He gave His Son, He gave Himself. True believers have a substantive and godly hope. They trust because He has redeemed them. And they give because they are like their Creator.

Christ is our hope of glory. Therefore, we can experience heaven here on earth; we can feel great and fine in the midst of the storm; we can know that we have victory no matter what is happening in our lives at any given time. Recognize that 2007 was heaven, 2008 was great, 2009 was fine and we do win in 2010 - just like we do in every other year - not because of the year or how much we give - BUT BECAUSE OF CHRIST ALONE!

If I have Christ, I have everything -
Because I have the One who holds all things, the One who created it all

Jesus gives us life so that we can enjoy all things. But, sadly, there is a tendency for people to ask for things so that they can enjoy life. He said in John 10:10, 'I am come that they might have life and life more abundantly.' He came so we could experience life to its fullest - not things – although He is not adverse to us having things.

However -

If our joy cannot be complete with Jesus alone, it will never be complete with Him and all the things, to include ideal situations and circumstances. There will always be a searching for something more. And what could possibly be more valuable than Jesus? How can we be any more blessed than we are by having Him present in our lives?

Even I must apologize. You see, I posted a blog a few weeks ago on 'dive-favor' which I noted as a God-favor which explosively invades every area of your life. Yet, the truth of the matter is, God 'cannon-balled' into my life the day I accepted Jesus Christ as my LORD and Savior. The presence of stuff and what we perceive to be favor is no more an indication of His presence any more than the lack of those things are an indication of His absence.
• He cannot NOT be present. He is omnipresent
• It is not possible for Him to be unaware of what you or I am experiencing. He is omniscient
• There is no problem too great for Him. He is omnipotent

Faith in Him and His character are all that are needed. 'And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.'(Heb. 11:6)

No Gadgets, No Gimmicks, Just Jesus